Hugs from Trees in Eugene

Happy Day

 

Nature's Nurture

 

Joys of Eugene

 Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.”

― Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

Mindfulness

"Mindfulness practice is non-sectarian. There's no belief system 

attached to it, there are no articles of faith. You're just learning 

to pay attention. I didn't learn that in school, did you? 

Think of it as a kind of gym class for the mind, developing 

basic strength, focus, and stability."  - David Nichtern

Take time each day to learn from nature. Breathe in the fragrances 

that linger on the breeze.

Watch movement. 

Pay attention to bird chatter and song, flying clouds, and 

waves that shuffle to shore. 

Appreciate the moments that surround you.

Observe nature's creativity to help you build bridges instead of barriers.

A Fun Interlude

 

"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." - Bertrand Russell

Shed ambitions and a responsibility and let the playtime flow. 

What if FUN conquered the Universe? 

        How would that appear in details? 

                      Just let it flow. 

Energize your wonder to wander. Permit an interlude of fun to continue throughout the day. Laugh. Smile. Dance along with songs. Recharge energy with discovery. 

Soar into silliness as you share jokes. What train needs a tissue?  A choo choo.  

Contact a friend and wander into fun and delight to tickle their day.

Discovering Intuition

 

Intuition involves developing an acuity of perception. It engages creative thinking 

with hunches and possibilities. A special sense activates to grasp the invisible and 

provide insight. Flashes of thrill and understanding result without barriers of 

perceived notions.

David G. Myers,  a psychologist, defines intuition as, "The capacity for direct 

knowledge and immediate insight, without any observation or reason."  

Malcolm Gladwell, another expert, describes intuition as the "power of thinking 

without thinking."

Myers also discusses the perils of intuition. If untempered by logic and analysis, 

it can lead us down rabbit holes where we lose track of the difference between 

our fantasies and the real world. It can cause us to mistake our fears for  

ESP or get lost in a maze of self-fulfilling prophecies.

What do you take from the abstract comments above?  

Rabbit holes might lead to creative play. Fantasies create laughter. 

Mazes tickle the mind's problem solving strategies.

If you write about your experience with intuition discover how it 

affects your creativity and life.

Autumn's Arrival

 

Autumn arrives in stealth. 
A click crisps the morning air.
Trees replace green with reds, oranges, yellows.
Sparkled by moonlight, harvest time begins.

Does seasonal change signal a need to make your own adaptations? 

What needs to change color in your life? 

Let the hidden emerge.

Discover the subtly of transitions.

Come on Autumn

 

Sunset's Dance

 While the sun does his dance into the sea,  benefit from the final moments of each day. 

Find a place to watch for an evening 

                                                     to enjoy the sun's play.

When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. - Lao Tzu

Visualize the color in all its depth, intensity, and discover a metaphor.

Notice how the sun wriggles to set in tangerine dreams.

Discover creatures who play and chase the sun as he rolls down the sky.

Feel grateful for each moment.

Capture Childhood

 

We are most nearly ourselves when we achieve the seriousness 

of the child at play. 

~  Heraclitus

Return to childhood to recapture an adventure, an emotion and an innocence. Define yourself by those incidents. How did you play?

Writer, Jack Gilbert says, "The only geography we have is the storybook of our childhood." What does this mean for you?

Ask questions:

As a child did you feel unquenchable?

Which moods did you express?

Write to delve into your storybook of childhood.

Hop into Happy

Robert Louis Stephenson wrote, "There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. Happiness does not need to become the goal. We need a variety of experiences and moods to write about." 

In the 1980’s Martin E.P. Seligman adopted the term, “positive psychology.” After years of studying the “learned helplessness” that characterized depression he began to study how individuals could learn optimism. Seligman felt a search for “authentic happiness” made more sense than  relying on psychology’s one-sided focus on illness and disorders. 

Embrace optimism, courage and perseverance rooted in social and civil well-being.

Consider how to gather simple pleasures. The process itself will attract feelings of exultation.

Awaken to positivity that explodes in blossoms and blue sky. 

Take a pleasure interlude to revel in the marvels nature shares.

Stay awake to joy and appreciation for growing creatures, birds, plants and trees.

Day's Gratitude

While the sun does his dance into the sea, benefit from the final moments of each day. 

Find a place to watch for an evening 

                                                     to enjoy the sun's play.

When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. - Lao Tzu

Visualize the color in all its depth, intensity, and discover a metaphor.

Notice how the sun wriggles to set in tangerine dreams.

Discover creatures who play and chase the sun as he rolls down the sky.

Feel grateful for each moment.

Nature's Treasurers

The unknown and the marvelous press upon us from all sides.  They loom above us and around us in undefined and fluctuating shapes, some dark, some shimmering, but all warning us of the limitations of what we call matter, and of the need for spirituality if we are to keep in touch with the true inner facts of life. – Arthur Conan Doyle

Find a place that excites a sense of wonder.

Awaken imagination to wing and wander.

Cultivate Curiosity.

Release maudlin moods. See them sprout into vitality, generosity, and creativity.

Marvel in nature’s treasures.

Escape the Fussy Mind

“The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.” – Atisa Dipa

                        

Place your fussy mind in a top drawer.

Hear the closing click.
Hang a favorite and weighty item.

You don’t need a key.
Listen for the jostling and grumbling inside.

Say, “STAY!”

Put on your happy shoes and saunter out the door.
Let nature intrigue with its delights.

Trees will soon shed their leaves but evergreens prevail.

Feel grateful release from mind tendrils.

Go into your heart for sensory experiences.

Discover your neighborhood: a lingering rose, fresh earth, a gush of wind.

Breathe a drift of lavender. Hear a phoebe or crow’s call.

 

Wander until you have forgotten your mind.

Just take your time. No need to rush.

Energize the spirit and play.

 

When you return, open the drawer
to a renewal of friendship. 

 

Take out your fountain pen and write on and on. Send a letter to a friend.

Life Is

Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realize it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is love – enjoy it. – Sai Baba Take an evening  stroll. Observe nature’s offerings. Discover what frames the earth’s waterway. Seagulls send messages.  Listen to the calm. The great ball of fire will take time to ease behind the sea. Notice scents of evening in rainbow hues. The sun’s tangerine reflects ideas. You may see an instant of green. Let Gratitude release for another day.